Our classroom Handbook

Attendance is CrucialBeing at school on time, every day is of the utmost importance in third grade. Since most buses arrive by 7:00, I open my classroom door so that students can come into the classroom and begin their morning work or get help with homework if they need it. School officially begins at 7:30. Missing even one lesson in any subject may cause a student to fall behind.Many concepts and skills we will be learning are built upon previous lessons and information. It is very difficult for a child to learn and master concepts when they are missing key pieces of information necessary for future learning. I hope to see each student at school everyday for optimum growth.Attendance -- UPDATED THIS SCHOOL YEARIf your child must be absent, please send a signed note explaining why within 3 days of their returning. This will keep them from receiving an unexcused absence.The following information related to attendance is an excerpt from the Santa Rosa County School District Code of Conduct. Please refer to the Code of Conduct booklet pages 13-17 for a complete description of the attendance requirements.Florida Statute 1003.21 requires students ages six (6) up to 18 to be in regular attendance at school. A student who has been absent from school shall have his or her absence reported in a manner which is described in the school’s Student Handbook. \A. Excused Absences: Absences granted for personal illness, illness or death of a member of the immediate family, medical or dental appointments, religious holidays, religious instruction, court date and special emergencies or pre-arranged absences approved by the Principal or designee. The parent/guardian must notify the school to provide the reason for the absence or respond to the school’s inquiry about the reason for the absence within three (3) days of the absence, or it becomes an unexcused absence. A student who desires to be absent for reasons not given above; may make a prior arrangement request to the school Principal by bringing a written request from his/her parent or guardian.

1. Pre-arranged absence requests must be made at least five (5) school days prior to the date of the absence, except in the case of an emergency.

2. Students shall make pre-arrangements for their school work to be done; it will be due the day the student returns to school. Work done in the pre-arranged time allotted will be given full credit.

B. Unexcused Absences:Absences for shopping trips, vacations, pleasure trips, truancy, dismissal from school, or other avoidable absences which have not been pre-arranged and approved by the Principal or designee. Five (5) late to school Check-Ins and/or Check Outs, will equate to the student receiving one (1) unexcused absence for truancy purposes. C. Notification to School: Any student who has been absent from school shall bring a note from one of his/her parents or guardians stating the cause of the absence. A Principal may choose to accept notification in person or by telephone in lieu of a note. Failure to properly notify the school or the inability of the school to reach the parent/guardian to establish the reason for the absence within three (3) days shall result in an unexcused absence. 1. The school shall receive notification of the cause of the absence within three (3) days. 2. The school will determine if the absence is to be excused or unexcused.

GradingStudent grades will be available online for parents to track throughout the year. More information will be sent home in the first few weeks of school. I am committed to grading papers in a timely manner; however please understand that not all papers are graded immediately. Graded papers, informational flyers, and important school information will be sent home in students' dark red homework folders. Students will receive percentage-letter grades in the following subject areas:

Reading

Math

Integrated Language Arts (Language, Writing, Spelling)

Science (Science and Social Studies are combined grades)

Social Studies (Science and Social Studies are combined grades)

Grading Scale:

A 90% - 100%

B 80% - 89%

C 70% - 79%

D 60% - 69%

F 59% and below

Reteaching If a student receives a significantly low grade, it is clear to me that he/she either did not fully understand the concept or that he/she did not correctly follow the assignment instructions, I will work with the student individually or in a small group to reteach the concept for mastery. However, the student will receive the ORIGINAL grade for the assignment. If you feel your student is struggling with a concept please contact me so that we can work out a solution together.Personal ResponsibilityThird grade is a year when students are expected to demonstrate a significant amount of personal responsibility. Students are not allowed to take incomplete classwork home to be completed as homework. Students are responsible for completing all assignments within the allotted time frame. An incomplete assignment is recorded as 0%-F until the assignment is completed. If you feel that I have made a grading mistake on your student’s graded papers, please feel free to contact me to review the paper. You may contact me by attaching a short note to the paper and returning it to school (your student is responsible for giving it to me), or you may call me. I work very diligently not to make mistakes when grading papers, however, it can happen. I would appreciate your patience and positive approach to correcting such mistakes. Appropriate Shoes for P.E.Please make sure your child wears tennis shoes at school to ensure safe participating in physical education. Any shoes/sandals must have a back strap. Please do not allow students to wear flip-flops or platform shoes. MoneyWhen sending in money for activities (checks or cash) please remember the following procedures:

Secure money in a sealed envelope or zipper lock baggie.

Include a note indicating the student’s name and what the money is intended for.

TransportationPlease be sure that your child and I know how he/she will be transported home from school each day (bus, parent pick-up, Latchkey, Campfire, etc.). Uncertainty about how to get home from school can be very disturbing to students (and teachers). Changes to your child’s regular transportation routine should be made in writing and/or by contacting the front office as soon as possible (even riding a different bus home with a friend, requires a note). DO NOT EMAIL CHANGES TO ME, as some days I do not get to check email until after the students are gone for the day. VolunteersIn order to ensure the safety of our students, it is very important that any visitors/volunteers sign-in at the front office before entering the classroom. If you enter the classroom without a visitor’s badge, you will be kindly asked to go to the office to sign-in. Prior to volunteering, a Parent Volunteer Form must be completed and on file in the front office. School policy states that anyone wishing to volunteer must speak with the teacher prior to arriving in order to set up a specific volunteer time. There is an endless list of ways that families can volunteer their time and/or talents. If you are unable to spend time volunteering at the school, I have many tasks that can be accomplished at home. Volunteering can be a long-term commitment or a one-time project. I will work with your schedule as much as possible. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact me. Third grade is also a year of independence for students. For this reason, many of the volunteer projects will be completed in areas other than the classroom (library, hallway, etc.). In most situations you will be asked to work with students other than your own. BirthdaysThe PTO generously provides a birthday treat for all students by setting up the Birthday Table once every month. Students will be given a cookie and a pencil. In addition, I provide a birthday bag and birthday sticker for each student (which will be placed on his/her desk on the birthday). If you would like to bring in a special snack for your child to share on his/her birthday, please remember:

To contact me prior to the day so that I can plan to include the snack in our daily schedule.

To send enough of each snack item for the entire class.

To send napkins and/or plates in addition to the snack.

We do not have freezer or refrigerator space for storage.

To avoid hurt feelings, please do not send birthday party invitations to school unless you have an invitation for each child in the class. Children will not be allowed to deliver invitations to other classrooms. A third grade student’s feelings can be very fragile and easily bruised by being excluded from a birthday party. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Water Bottles Research shows that hydration plays an important role in brain function and, therefore, the learning process. Please send your child to school each day with a water bottle filled with water only. Students will be permitted to keep water bottles at their desks as long as it does not prove to be a distraction. If a student becomes distracted by the privilege of having bottled water, he/she will lose the privilege (temporarily or permanently dependent on the situation). General Information The responsibilities of third grade require that students know what is due, when it is due, and where it is to be turned in. The amount of papers that must be reviewed, signed, and returned may make parents feel as if they have just as much paperwork as the students. Don’t worry; I am in the same position. I am responsible for checking and tracking the signed papers of 18+ students. Believe me; I would not subject myself to this amount of paperwork if I did not feel that it was important. All papers that are to be reviewed, signed, and returned contain important information that allows me to stay in contact with parents. Our Class and Technology This is the age of technology and we use it a lot in the classroom. Students will have the opportunity to do research for class reports, play educational games and take assessments on the Internet. Additionally they will be taught how to use PowerPoint and Word in class this year. To keep you up to date on what is going on in our classroom, I have created a “Class Page” on Facebook (Mrs-Whitworths-third-grade-classroom). I will update the page with homework and upcoming events. I will NOT post pictures or talk about specific students on our page. It will be general information about homework and upcoming events. I also have a website where I talk about reading and make book recommendations. It is www.mrswhitworth.com. Additionally, if you would like to communicate via email about your child please be sure to fill out the email permission form in the back to school packet.

Daily Math DrillsIn my experience, students cannot move on to higher level reasoning in mathematics until they master their basic math facts. In addition to regular math assignments, your child will be performing daily drills until he or she has mastered the basic facts. You can help your child prepare by studying with flashcards or having them spend 15 minutes a day working with online flashcards at www.mathfactcafe.com. You can even call out math facts to your child while driving in the car or waiting in the doctor’s office! Mastering Times Tables is particularly challenging, so when everyone knows their times tables we will celebrate with an ice cream party! Refocus Behavior Management SystemLast year at Rhodes we instituted a program known as “Refocus” to correct inappropriate behaviors in the classroom. During the first few weeks of school students will be taught appropriate behaviors for school, they will be given the chance to practice these behaviors and corrected when they make mistakes. After the first few weeks, students will be directed to “refocus” when they are exhibiting an undesired behavior in the classroom. When they refocus they go to a specific desk in the classroom and complete a refocus form where they have to explain what they were doing, why they were doing it and what they can do differently next time. Once they have completed the refocus form they will return to their seat and continue learning. It is our desire to stay focused on teaching rather than distracted by discipline for behaviors that can be corrected through helping the student learn to develop self-control. This system of classroom management worked amazingly well for me last year and I am sure that I will have the same success this year. Refocus forms will be kept on file at school. If a pattern of poor behavior begins to surface parents will be notified. I do not normally contact parents for classroom behavior problems as they happen at school and I will handle them as outlined above. Please know that extreme behaviors such as bullying, fighting, stealing and cheating will be handled on a case-by-case basis in accordance with school policy. Lunch MoneyWe have a beautiful new cafeteria this year at Rhodes! If you haven’t had the chance yet, stop by and take a look. The application for free and reduced lunch is available online at https://mealapps.santarosa.k12.fl.us/. If a student does not qualify for free or reduced lunch, they must either buy their lunch from the cafeteria or bring lunch from home. Having students pay by the week or the month can eliminate most lunch money problems. Parents can log on towww.mypaymentsplus.com and put money in their students lunch account and keep track of account balances. Menus will be sent home at the beginning of each month but can also be found online at https://www.santarosa.k12.fl.us/foodserv/dining.html. If you have questions about your child’s lunch account please call Linda Pope, our cafeteria manager at 983-5670 Meal Prices Include Choice of Entrée, 2 side choices, and milk or juice Breakfast $1.05 Reduced $.30 Adult $1.75 Lunch $2.25 Reduced $.40 Adult $3.00

Homework Homework is an important part of the learning process for many reasons. At W.H. Rhodes Elementary School, we believe that homework assignments should serve one or more of the following purposes:

Reinforcement and enrichment of classroom learning experiences

Establishment of a homework routine that will help your child develop responsibility for his/her own learning.

To teach students to follow directions and to organize time and materials.

To enable parents to stay informed about their child's progress and about the school's instructional program.

Homework Procedures Homework will be assigned every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday night and always includes reading for 20 minutes. Each student has a Dark Red Folder and will be used for them to keep homework in to transport to and from school.The Weekly Newsletter includes:

Weekly spelling list

Weekly vocabulary list

Important dates and reminder notes

Vocabulary definitions

Curriculum information to be used as a study guide

Homework is due Friday mornings and will be checked and reviewed with students as needed.Please remind and encourage your child to bring his/her Accelerated Reader book home every night. Reminders will be given in class; however, students are ultimately responsible for remembering to take a book home each night and to return it to school each morning. In addition to the listed homework assignments and reading for at least 20 minutes, students should also consistently study spelling words, vocabulary words, math FCAT vocabulary, and basic math facts (especially multiplication). Students will be responsible for studying for tests at home. In addition to weekly spelling tests, students will also study for Social Studies and Science tests at home. Students will be provided with a study guide and/or flashcards. The date of the test will be included on the Weekly Newsletter. Students that complete 100% of their homework assignments for the week will have the opportunity participate in Homework Lottery. Students will also have the opportunity to earn No Homework Coupons throughout the year.

Homework TipsFor Students

Plan a daily homework time.

Take home everything you will need to successfully complete your assignments.

Choose a quiet place to study.

Read and follow all directions.

Do your work neatly and carefully.

Ask for help if you need it, but do the work yourself.

Keep your homework in a safe place.

Return your homework on time.

For Parent

Make homework a top priority.

Be aware of your child’s teacher’s expectations for homework.

Plan a daily homework/study time.

Set limits and expectations. For example, homework being done before watching TV or going outside to play.

Carefully check your child’s homework and provide immediate feedback.

Provide necessary supplies and a quiet homework environment:

Have pencils, erasers, notebook paper, a dictionary, etc. available.

Eliminate distractions such as television, phone calls, the radio, etc.

Provide praise and positive support when homework is complete.

Help your child return his/her homework on time.

Be sure that your child’s backpack and folder are checked daily.

Provide a place in your home for all papers that require parental attention (a bulletin board, a specific drawer, a set of stackable trays, etc.)

Accelerated Reader (AR)In addition to our regular reading program, all students will participate in the Accelerated Reader program. Each student will be responsible for meeting a minimum weekly reading goal based upon their independent reading level. Each student’s independent reading level will be determined by the results of the S.T.A.R. literacy test and teacher judgment. Students are expected to have a book to read at all times.The majority of independent reading needs to be done at home. Students are expected to read an AR book over the weekend. Please remind and encourage your child to bring his/her Accelerated Reader book home every night. Reminders will be given in class; however, students are ultimately responsible for remembering to take a book home each night and to return it to school each day. Students in third grade are expected to read chapter books. Because chapter books take longer to read, students are only expected to read one chapter book per week. However, the amount of time allotted to read a chapter book will depend on many criteria - length of the book, the number of days in the week, student effort, etc. Students are expected to earn at least 1.5 points each week. This is a very attainable goal; in fact, most students should be able to exceed 1.5 points each week. I set the goal at 1.5 points because of the other demands on our time during the school day. The expected test average is 80% or higher. Do not rush. If a student’s average drops below 85%, it is very difficult to bring it back up.Choose a book and stick with it. Third grade students are expected to make responsible book choices based on their individual reading style and assigned book level. The above criteria outline the basic requirements. Of course, I always encourage students to go above and beyond.